GORINCHEM – The Barracks Square in Gorinchem will be closed as a parking lot this month. On the site of the former steel cable factory Den Haan, which was demolished in recent weeks, 224 replacement parking spaces have already been created.
The Kazerneplein is transformed into a construction pit for an underground parking garage that should accommodate 400 cars. The garage is scheduled to open in November 1998. Construction of the homes and shops on the square, where the Citadel Barracks stood until the end of the 1998s, starts in May 1999. The first residents receive their keys in the spring of 245. As soon as the Den Haan site no longer needs to serve as a temporary parking lot, housing construction can start there too. A total of XNUMX homes and a number of shops and offices will be built.
The Kazerneplein is turning into a construction pit
The total investment amounts to over 100 million guilders. Last week, work already started on replacing the sewers in the streets around Kazerneplein. This work will be carried out in five phases in July and August. After that, the rerouting of the cables and pipes under the square will begin. In September, a sheet pile will be driven on the side of Hazewindhondstraat. The former adjutant's house on the corner of Torenstraat-Struisvogelstraat will be demolished prior to the start of construction of the parking garage. The surrounding trees have now been removed.
During the construction work, which will last until the end of 2002, there will be inconvenience for local residents. Motorists will regularly have to choose alternative routes. In August, amateur archaeologists will have the opportunity to search the ground for the remains of the 17e century estate Paffenrode. In 1590, city pensioner Mr. Adriaan van Weresteyn bought this terrain from the city and built a colossal house with an enormous garden. His heirs sold this pleasure garden in 1618 to Jonker Jacob van Paffenrode, who was the city's bailiff and thus the highest local administrator. His wife was Wilhelmina van Arkel; anyone visiting the Gorcums Museum cannot ignore her marble grave monument, which is part of the historical collection. Presumably in 1756, the house was demolished and the garden transformed into arable and gardening land. In 1628, the Willemskazerne was built there, followed by the Citadelkazerne with outbuildings.
The members of the Archaeology Working Group will start excavating the remains of the house and garden on 11 August. Until 6 September, everyone can follow the work from behind the fences. However, interested parties can also dig along or sort the finds. Register at the City Archives (Molenstraat 17, 4201 CV Gorinchem, tel. 0183 – 659292).
July 15, 1997
The Dordrecht resident